Quick Tip: Check Your Dirt

When you're throwing a side between starts or appearances, do just what this title says, "check your dirt." The dirt on the mound will tell you a lot about how well you are repeating your delivery.

Start with your "drag line." Drag lines are caused by a pitcher's back foot pushing off of the rubber, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Whatever yours looks like, it should be doing the same thing every pitch.

Next, check your footprint from your lead stride leg. If you are consistently landing in the same spot with all of your pitches, you are either repeating your delivery or well on your way toward repeating it.

A consistent and repeatable drag line/landing point will allow you to have better feel for the timing of your delivery and will improve your ability to make adjustments pitch-to-pitch and game-to-game.